League of Women Voters of Amherst sponsoring forums on women's health

AMHERST - Offering programs on topical issues is not new for the League of Women Voters of Amherst, but on Saturday in Framingham and March 12 in Hadley, the league is joining with its state cohorts to sponsor “Women’s Health in the 21st Century: What We Need to Know.”

The league has been studying health care for a long time, said Jackie Wolf, who is the chairwoman of the event.

Members wanted to offer an intensive forum on the topic that is “not a commercial forum. No one is selling.”

She said the league wanted to provide an opportunity “for women to talk (directly) to the researchers.”

They’ll be able to ask questions at the panels and then choose a panelist after the program to be able to ask questions “in a more extensive manner.”

She said the state league “is looking forward to seeing local leagues work with one another.”

This is the most extensive program with which the Amherst league has been involved, Wolf said.

The panel in Framingham opens with Judy Norsigian, executive director of “Our Bodies Ourselves,” talking on the “Impact of Media on Women’s Health.”

The program in Hadley ends with Joan Ditzion, founding member of Boston Women’s Health Collective and co-author of all nine editions of Our Bodies, Ourselves” speaking on “Our Bodies Ourselves: Women Growing Older.”

Wolf likes how those talks are bookends to the forum.

The league will be recording the programs so they will be available to local leagues. “I’m excited about this,” Wolf said.

The programs are free; both begin at 9:30 a.m. with registration.

In Hadley, the program opens at the Wesley United Methodist Church with a introduction from State. Rep. Ellen Story, D-Amherst; and followed by panelists addressing “Why Should We Talk About Women’s Health,” “Vitamin D and Women’s Health,” “The Impact of Physical Activity on Women’s Health” “More is not Always Better: Why Comparative Effective Research Should be Your Friend” “Lesbian & Transgender Health: Needs & Disparities in Care” followed by Ditzion’s talk.

Besides looking at the media, the panel Saturday in Framingham at McPherson Hall in the Medical Arts Building at the MetroWest Medical Center, panels examine “Disparities in Access and Treatment” and “Mental Health Issues for Women.”